Executive Team

J. Lynn Griesemer, Ed.D., M.P.A. is the Associate Vice President for Economic Development at the University of Massachusetts and Executive Director of the UMass Donahue Institute. She is also an adjunct professor in the Public Policy and Administration program at UMass Amherst. Prior to joining the University, Dr. Griesemer was the Executive Director of the Northeast Regional Exchange, a seven-state, non-profit collaborative in education for New England and New York. At the University of Rhode Island, she also held a faculty position and was the director of an education research and evaluation center.

Dr. Griesemer holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Cedar Crest College, a master's in mathematics education from the University of Tennessee, and a master's in public administration from the Kennedy School at Harvard University, where she was a Littauer Fellow. She received her doctorate in educational administration and curriculum from the University of Tennessee.

Since the formation of the University's five-campus system in 1991, Dr. Griesemer has worked closely with the UMass President's Office, managing several system-wide projects in economic development and related areas.

(413) 545-0001

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Eric Heller

Deputy Director

Eric Heller, Ed.D. is responsible for managing the Institute’s infrastructure and supporting the successful operations of all of the Institute’s business units. Dr. Heller first joined the Donahue Institute in 1985, when he helped launch its Applied Research and Program Evaluation group. As the group’s director from 1988 through 2011, he was instrumental in developing its approach to client-responsive, applied social science research and program evaluation and continually expanding its capacity to serve the needs of the Institute’s diverse clientele.

Prior to joining the Institute, Dr. Heller served as associate director of the Perach Tutorial program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Similar to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization, Perach created and supported mentoring relationships between university students and elementary school children living in under-served communities.

Dr. Heller received his doctorate and masters in educational policy, research, and administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He earned his B.A. in education and sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

(413) 545-5934

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Carol Anne McGowan

Director of Administration and Finance

Carol Anne McGowan, M.A., M.B.A. is responsible for overseeing the fiscal and human resource functions of the Institute. Prior to this position, she was the Institute’s Senior Financial Officer. Previous to her Institute experience, Ms. McGowan spent over 10 years developing curriculum and instructing in the areas of Government Finance and Accounting for the Department of Defense. Ms. McGowan was also Director of Onslow Community Health Improvement Process (CHIP), a community non-profit organization in Onslow County, North Carolina.

Ms. McGowan received her master's of arts in Human Resources and Organizational Development from Webster University and a master's in business administration from UMass Isenberg School of Management.